Why I Ride

Publisher: Green Writers Press

Celebrate the ride–its joy, its labor, its freedom. In our world of fossil fuel dependence, insisting on the value and beauty of riding a bicycle is a subversive  and necessary act. And, as any rider will tell you, the act is fun!  Why I Ride is an ode to the experience of the rider that was collaboratively produced by the award winning lead poets of the UK arts collective, Page to Performance, and the Cambridge kids who participated in their summer 2013 workshops. Each stanza of the poem receives its own page spread and is accompanied by a bicycle-themed photo in either vibrant color or classic black and white. A video of Hollie McNish reading the poem over footage of Cambridge kids enjoying the ride is also available on YouTube. The book is a multimedia feast based around verse that any reader will find accessible and to which any rider will relate. A percentage of all profits from sales of the book will be donated to 350.org. Why I Ride is a book for your body as much as your mind–it eggs on the muscles, evokes the wind in your hair. “Why do you ride?/ And if you could but you don’t/ Why not?”

Inja is an exceptional Artist, MC and host whose work spans a huge variety of genres including dubstep, hiphop, grime, drum and bass and freestyle poetry. His talent, energy and exceptional lyricism, both live and recorded, have garnered him continuous praise. As well as performing, Inja co-runs Page to Performance, a UK-based education organization with the central aim of bringing words and poetry to life.

Hollie is a published UK poet and spoken word artist, based between London and Cambridge. She has released two poetry albums, TOUCH and PUSH KICK, both to critical acclaim, and a first collection of written poetry, PAPERS. She performs in venues all over the country, and represented the UK in the Slam du Monde finals in Paris. Hollie runs poetry workshops and recitals for schools, youth centres, and charities through her poetry education organisation, Page to Performance.